SPECTEMUR I S S U E 3 - 2 0 19
CONTENTS
School-2
Green Pages........................................................................2 CGS Academies...................................................................4 Staff Profile - Katrina Massey................................................6 Murdoch Centre for Educational Research and Innovation...8 Integrity................................................................................9 The Challenges of Parenting a Millennial............................. 10 To Kill a Mockingbird.......................................................... 12 September Concert............................................................ 13 News Around the School.................................................... 14 Sport.................................................................................. 16 UK Cricket Tour.................................................................. 18
Community-19
Connect with us................................................................. 19 Community Connections....................................................20 7th Biennial Agendo Art Show............................................ 24 Events................................................................................26
OCGA-29
News of Old Boys...............................................................29 Old Boy Profile...................................................................30 OCGA Generations Photo..................................................32 Obituaries...........................................................................34 Calendar 2019....................................................................38
Produced by Camberwell Grammar School 55 Mont Albert Road, Canterbury, Victoria Australia 3126, P.O.Box 151, Balwyn VIC 3103 T: +61 3 9835 1777, F: +61 3 9836 0752, www.cgs.vic.edu.au
Editorial enquiries: pub@cgs.vic.edu.au View online versions here: www.cgs.vic.edu.au/news/spectemur Spectemur is printed on 100% recycled paper.
FROM THE HEADMASTER’S DESK Perhaps the most scandalous aspect of these statistics is that people hardly find them scandalous anymore. We have become accustomed to the President of the United States simply making things up and being deliberately misleading. Indeed, his supporters seem to regard this aspect of his leadership as unimportant, given the good they feel he is doing for the country. And President Trump is not the only one – politicians all over the world seem to believe that truth is an acceptable casualty of power. Being in control is more important than being honest, and we have become inured to their lies.
Integrity In August this year, the Washington Post reported that Donald Trump had at that point in time told over 12,000 lies in the course of his presidency. He had been president for 950 days.
It can seem easy to get away with lies and dishonesty. Things have not changed too much from when Edmund in King Lear gloated about how gullible his ‘noble’ brother Edgar was, ‘whose nature is so far from doing harms / That he suspects none; on whose foolish honesty / My practices ride easy.’ That must be the way the world seems to our students – they see leaders lying to people, and those people willingly believing their lies.
We all face moral decisions every day. We might so desperately want to do well on a test that we take out some ‘insurance’ in the form of unauthorised notes; we may be feeling so hungry that we cannot resist stealing a chocolate bar from the convenience store; a group we are trying to impress may be being critical of one of our friends, and so we join in. It isn’t difficult to lie, or to cheat, or to take advantage of the trust of others, and the temptation to do so is sometimes great, especially if even our leaders seem to do so with impunity. The trouble is, that we rarely do get away with it, even if we don’t get caught. Others tend to notice what we do, even if they don’t tell us so. Our friends notice if we cheat or lie, as do our teachers, and they judge us accordingly. They may never say anything to us, but they judge us. And even if no one else does notice, we cannot deceive ourselves; even if we can fool the world, we cannot fool ourselves. Each lie we tell diminishes our own opinion about ourselves, our self-respect. No matter how much we might try to argue the point, we all have an innate sense of right and wrong, of what is true and what is not, and when we fail to live up to that standard, we hold ourselves accountable. That is why we value integrity. It is a value which encourages us to be true to ourselves. It is essential if we are to have a positive self-regard. No matter how much we might try to convince ourselves otherwise, we can never respect a liar and a cheat, especially if it is us. Dr Paul Hicks Headmaster
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 1
GREEN PAGES
Art Competition
Open Day Extravaganza
This year’s Open Day Art Competition is asking for entries made entirely of re-purposed or recycled materials. Once again, we are offering $100 from JB HiFi for Middle School students, and $100 for Senior School students. The piece of art can be a sculpture or painting and needs to be brought to school by the end of Week 1, Term 4. Prizes will be awarded according to a popular vote conducted by the public on Open Day.
At Open Day the Middle School Towards2050 group will be selling a range of organic plants and fresh produce from the greenhouse located in the Middle School. This includes: succulents in terracotta pots, kokedamas, different kinds of seedlings including pumpkin, watermelon, zucchini, cucumber and tomato, a range of herbs, edible flowers and even some fresh produce. Jacob Clark Year 8 While you are there buying plants, you might want to drop off your old mobile phones – we will have a large MobileMuster box and aim to fill it on the day. Stay tuned for other reminders and reclaim your old phone drawer! There will also be a coffee cart selling coffee in old school, reusable ceramic cups and even some tables and chairs so you can take a load off and witness the fruits of the future growing before your very eyes.
Recycling 2
“At open day the Middle School Towards 2050 group will be selling a range of organic plants and fresh produce from the greenhouse”
I have been fielding many questions surrounding the final destination of recycling following its collection around the grounds at Camberwell Grammar. Our waste provider, KS Environmental, takes their recycled material to a company called Polytrade in Dandenong. Polytrade then sort the waste through their materials recovery facility (or MRF, which is pronounced as murf when you’re speaking the lingo) and send their streamed resources to various locations. Paper and cardboard is generally sent overseas, as are plastics. Recycling
plastic is quite a tricky exercise, and at the moment plastics which are mixed with other materials, such as PVC, are seen as contaminated (as the technology we currently use cannot separate them) and so are sent to landfill. Meanwhile, metals are used by local metal recyclers, and quality glass from bottles and containers is used by local glass manufacturers to make new containers. Poor quality glass is used to make sand used by civil industry in creating asphalt.
While we are forced to wait for our state and national leaders to make bold policy decisions, we are all individually charged with a responsibility to consider our choices as consumers, and to maintain what habits we can in streaming our waste in order to help local councils and organisations. Mr Will Hone Sustainability Coordinator
In Australia, there are no easy answers to the many questions surrounding recycling.
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 3
CGS ACADEMIES
Our new Academies provide the resources and expertise to allow our students with a keen interest in a particular area to pursue and fulfil their potential.
Sports Academy Camberwell Grammar School has opened a new chapter within the Sport Department with the introduction of the Camberwell Grammar Sports Academy. Students now have the opportunity to support their educational journey with a sport portfolio beyond the current sport program. There are currently two options the students can select from within their sport of choice. The first is the Elite Athlete Pathway (EAP), which is a program specifically designed for Camberwell’s finest athletes. The second is the 1on1 Coaching Program, which entails private lessons for students or groups of up to four students at a time. 4
Through an individual mentorship program with expert industry professionals, we nurture talent and encourage our students to strive to be their very best.
Some of our expert coaches within both programs include Craig Mottram, Steve Blackley, David Bertamini, Paul Sartori, Jordan Russell, Lou Cirello, Richard Clifton, Mark Freeman, Joe Gerada and Nick Ong. Several of the coaches have coached and or been involved at the highest level in their sport.
pertinent to their performance. As part of this program interviews are conducted regularly to assess and provide feedback for the student about their progress. The 1on1 Coaching Program has access to parts of the EAP Program as well as a term-based assessment on their performance and application.
As part of the EAP Program, students have the opportunity to be individually coached and assessed, have a personalised strength and conditioning program to their needs, their mental and physical health monitored, educational assistance provided as well as access to physiotherapy and other health services
The Sports Academy also provides a series of lectures to assist students within the program and around the school. Lectures have so far included topics such as Exercise Physiology and Nutrition with Sports Psychology and Injury Prevention scheduled for Term 4.
“As part of the EAP Program, students have the opportunity to be individually coached and assessed.” The numbers in the program have grown to close to 100 students, in both the EAP and 1on1 Coaching Programs. The Sports Academy has closely established links with several different organisations including Camberwell Grammar Aquatic Swim Club, Balwyn Sports and Physiotherapy Centre and Elite Wellbeing. Conversations are also currently being held with Melbourne Victory, Cricket Australia and other sporting organisations in order to establish links and further strengthen Camberwell Sports Academy within the community. Camberwell Grammar is fast becoming a destination for highly motivated, academic and sport-focused students. The future allows us to aspire and dream about what may be and where we can go. The Sports Academy has the potential for rural and local scholarship opportunities, a technologically advanced online Athlete Management System (AMS), ongoing nutritional advice and access to healthier food options around the school, master class coaching
sessions from national and international coaches, a purpose built mental health program and a proposed mental health room within the school.
Elite Athlete Pathway (EAP) “Being part of the EAP has opened up a range of opportunities for me, from having one on one coaching with AFL players, to learning how to manage school and sport life. It has given me a greater insight into the importance of areas such as nutrition, sleep and recovery, relating to performing at your best both on and off the field. It has also assisted me through developing better training methods that will allow me to perform at my best on game day.”
1on1 Coaching “Sports Academy, (1on1 Coaching,) has meant a lot to me. To have the time to work with experienced coaches, is something that I could talk about for a long time. All of the coaches are nice and friendly and help you with your technique and skills getting the most out of your ability at all times. I have not only improved in my chosen sport but as a person as well. I highly encourage all sportsmen to get down to the Sports Office and talk to Mr. Watson about joining the Sports Academy.” Harry Watson Year 8
Finnegan Weston Year 11
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR SPORTS ACADEMY? Contact sportsacademy@cgs.vic.edu.au SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 5
STAFF PROFILE - KATRINA MASSEY What is your role in the Middle School? Can you tell me about the work you do with the Towards2050 group?
Can you tell us about what path you took to become a teacher? And coming to CGS?
In the Middle School I am a Year 8 Form teacher, MS Science and Geography coordinator and I run (with a group of 30 of so MS students) the MS branch of the Towards2050 group.
I first started at CGS 7 years ago as a student teacher. Fortunately I was placed with the one and only Mr Marcus Jones. I was offered a job the following year. Throughout the time working here I have been fortunate enough to teach year 11 and 12 Biology working along side the dedicated Suzanne Jack and Marcus Jones. As well as teaching biology I have been lucky to work with the MS science team and recently took over the role of Ms science coordinator.
The Towards2050 group in MS really only started up last year. The idea to have a MS group came about from a group of year 8 students wanting to make sustainable change though not feeling the had a sense of place to do so. These students were Finnian Mahaffy, Marty Selverte, William Phillips, Caedan Yap and William Kruze were instrumental in starting up this group. These students should get the praise along with Will Hone for setting up the group originally. My role in the Towards2050 group is to facilitate inspired individuals to pursue their sustainability pursuits. So in a nutshell if you come to me with an idea I will help you achieve that goal.
6
What does an average day look like for you at CGS? What is your favourite part about being a teacher at our school? The average day, at the moment, would start with Firsts V Basketball training. From there I would head up to the MS. Most mornings I will check the greenhouse on level 3 which involves monitoring the watering system and the seedlings we are growing.
Class could be anything for that day. It could be a STEM class with Year 8’s were the make devices that can vary out a certain task. It could be Year 11 Biology where we have been discussing implications of genetic testing and the use of gene therapy. Recess usually comes out of nowhere and disappears like it never existed. After recess my Year 12’s are patiently waiting. A Year 12 lesson may look like an involved game of Homonoid celebrity heads, some content delivery, a quick quiz and the return of a SAC. When lunch comes I often have two or three students waiting up in my office to either run an idea by me, work on the greenhouse or simply chat. This is probably my favourite part of the day. The students who are coming to see me are really interested and excited about what they are working on.
After lunch it’s usually time to teach some Year 6’s, recently they have been working on creating animals in certain environments that have adaptations that allow them to survive. Once the period 8 bell goes I will usually head back to the office for some marking and a snack or ten. Can you tell us what hobbies you have and what you do in your spare time? Spare time in itself seems like an odd concept. I rarely feel like I have spare time because I try and keep myself busy. Over the past seven years I have played basketball for Melbourne University in the Big V league. Fortunately this year was the first time the women’s side has won the championship. When I am not playing basketball, my partner and I like to renovate our house with the help of our two dogs Narla and Sage.
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 7
MURDOCH CENTRE FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION Integrity in Teaching Integrity in teaching is deceptively simple. On the surface, it is asking teachers to look deep within their heart, and act accordingly. It brings to mind what Polonius said to Laertes in Hamlet: This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell: my blessing season this in thee! Students have an inbuilt detector for the inauthentic - when a person is not being true to themselves - and often they have no inhibitions about making their feelings known. Students can spot a phoney in minutes; they can tell when the teacher is desperately trying to cover a gap in their knowledge, or pull the wool over their eyes. They are also generous in supporting the teacher who is trying their best and willing to acknowledge their mistakes, learn and do better. But that does not mean that a teacher can simply go by their heart and all will be fine. Sometimes there is a conflict between acting according to one’s heart, and following the evidence gained by rigorous educational research. Teaching is a heartfelt practice, a vocation rather than a job, and as teachers we often feel deeply about what we do and how we do it. On the other hand, sometimes the research evidence points to practices that would be better - but these are not always intuitive. When we act with integrity, which path do we choose? Are we true to ourselves - our own history, practice and methods - or true to the evidence? If we delve deeper into integrity, it must mean more than simply acting on one’s feelings; there must be a responsibility to a higher set of values. For teachers, I would argue that this should be that we strive for the maximum improvement for every student. If we have integrity towards these goals, then we must be open to change and new ideas. It is here that it is vital that schools have someone in them whose job it is to conduct and review the research that is constantly being carried out in education; we need someone to shake things up every now and then, not for disruption’s sake, but because sometimes what we accept as the best way to do things may not always be right. 8
An example is problem solving. This is promoted by multiple organisations, including government at all levels; it is common sense that problem solving needs to be a skill that all students are taught. The awkward problem is that the research into its effectiveness is less than convincing. When students are taught by discovery learning, they usually learn less and slower than other methods. In fact, the most effective method is simple, old-fashioned direct instruction (see, for example, Stockard, Wood, Coughlin & Khoury (2018), The Effectiveness of Direct Instruction Curricula: A Meta-Analysis of a Half Century of Research). This does not mean that problem solving should be dropped from the curriculum - far from it; rather, it should be the end point rather than the beginning, the culmination of a student’s learning rather than the means for getting them there. We are enormously fortunate to live in a world where we can access huge amounts of knowledge with the click of a few buttons. In the UK, the government conducted spending reviews across all departments, to ensure that money was being spent where it could do the most good. The result for education was the establishment of the Education Endowment Foundation an independent charity whose mission is to sift through the reams of educational research and identify what can help schools and students best. In the USA, What Works Clearinghouse does a similar job. Sometimes what they produce is controversial; they review practices that teachers may have been using for decades and apply an impartial eye to their effectiveness. A good example is marking. Typically, teachers spend hours every week marking - getting out the red pen, crossing out, suggesting changes, putting in corrections. The EEF conducted a study of just how effective these practices were. They found that when a teacher gave the student a mark, the student looked at that - and that was the end of the process; there was usually little follow up or reflection from the student that would help them for next time. When only a comment was given, there was much better impact on a student’s future performance. The interesting point was where the two grade and comment - were combined. Instead of giving the best of both worlds, they found it was exactly the same as
grade only; the students looked at the grade and ignored the comments heartbreaking for the poor teacher who has laboured over their comments! What they found worked best was identifying errors but not correcting them: that was left to the student. In my own teaching now I no longer write in corrections, but use a highlighter pen instead to mark the areas that need attention; I then go over these with a small group of students but they do all the writing: they are their corrections, not mine. I have flipped my time use, from lots of time spent marking, and little time spent returning, to the opposite - and the students benefit (even if they have to work harder). Going further, the best feedback is quite complex (enough to justify an article in its own right), and different to what most of us would think of when we hear the term. It means teachers have to change their habits, and students and parents need to adjust to new ways of looking at their learning - with increased demands placed on the students to reflect and self-monitor. This might not be a message teachers and students would want to hear, but if we act with integrity respecting the evidence - then we need to make some tough decisions. I sometimes think that the most suitable analogy for the educational researcher is the story of Cassandra. She was a Trojan princess, and Apollo, the god of prophecy, fell for her. He offered her the gift of prophecy; she accepted, was given the gift, but then refused his amorous advances. Apollo didn’t withdraw his gift, but he did add a twist: she would be able to foretell the future, but nobody would ever believe her. So she foresaw the death of her beloved brother Hector, knew of the dangers of the Trojan horse and the full hours of the fall of Troy; she tried to warn the Trojans, but none would believe her. Sometimes what researchers uncover is unpalatable - what they argue might be too costly, or it might not be the right time, or not what schools want to hear - but we need to act with integrity and keep striving to make things better. Dr John Tuckfield Director of the Murdoch Centre for Educational Research and Innovation A full set of references is available from the author.
Integrity With our Reverend Charles Butler It’s all about integrity. It’s all about what’s in your heart that counts. No one has to be perfect. No one is perfect yet living through the ups and downs through mistakes and mess, with integrity we will successfully finish the race. A tourist stopped to admire the elephants. He turned to the handler watching them and asked “How come they don’t just walk away or break loose; they are tied by such a little bit of string? It’s so thin and they are so strong.”
The handler replied, “Since they were born a small rope has held them. They have always known that, so they never try breaking away. They are not a danger to themselves or people.” Early in life parents and mentors help us grow our values and expand our world views. An invisible rope of integrity not only strengthens us but makes us leaders and an encouragement to others.
Near the PAC and Middle School, the moving statue of the eagle in flight stands inspiring us to spread our wings and fly. These words from Isaiah chapter 40:30 are written on the stone:
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength – They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” God encourages us to fly. Progress is often slow. But the more we commit, the more integrity touches every area of our life, the better our lives will be. “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” Corinthians 15:58
Michael Leunig sums it up with this prayer:
“Love one another
and you will be happy.”
It’s as simple and as difficult as that. There is no other way. Amen
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 9
THE CHALLENGES OF PARENTING A MILLENNIAL Parent Education Seminar Series with Professor Michael Gordon Well-known Psychiatrist, Professor Michael Gordon recently gave a parent education seminar at Camberwell Grammar School on the subject Building Resilient Teenagers. This seminar aimed to give parents and adolescents the tools to develop the resilience in order to thrive both at school and in life. Here he talks about the challenges of parenting a millennial.
Sadly, business for child psychiatry is booming. The Sunday Age have had a number of articles in sequential weeks about anxious children, suicidal children and problems in schools, something we have known about for a while but has increasingly become a problem. It is curious that in very affluent first-world Melbourne these problems are becoming more pronounced. Martin Seligman, a very eminent Professor of Psychiatry blames our children’s preoccupation with screens. He has a point. Our children are spending
10
excessive time on screens. I know that I am often checking my screen for updates – much more than I should. Social media is excessively consuming our children’s time to the exclusion of face to face conversations. Even unpleasant interactions like bullying can now be done much more efficiently in the leisure of the bully’s room and can be disseminated through many hundreds or thousands of likes to other people. Even more worrying, all of our children have access to very inappropriate and graphic sexual and traumatic content. Advertising is another culprit. Advertisers, in order to sell their product, work on two major emotions; fear and desire. “I want to have your product to be away from things that could hurt me”. Or, “You have convinced me that I desperately need your product and I don’t want to miss out…YOLO”. There are many things we want, but in reality, there are very few things we actually need, but we’ve lost our compass on this. Our kids (and us) are depressed and anxious for that which we don’t have, scared of missing out, and overly worried about conditions we do not have.
Other things that cause stress for our children are over-scheduling, family disruption, stressed parents, academic pressures and fewer healthy outlets for stress. Have you noticed that it is more difficult to cross the grid in Melbourne on the weekend than during the week? One of the reasons is an increase in weekend sport and extra-curricular activities for our children. There are fewer opportunities for “down time”. The experts tell us that children’s intelligence is increasing generation upon generation. The concern is that there is now a mismatch between children who are very smart and understand the problems in the world, but don’t have the emotional maturity to manage this information. It is no surprise children are anxious and depressed. When people go on meditation retreats two things happen – first they are told to slow down and then they spend the next few days sleeping. We are all sleep deprived. I am reminded of the Bugs Bunny show – something I saw as a child on television in the 1970s. The Wile E. Coyote would chase the Road Runner off the cliff not realising for some time that there is no solid ground under him, until a point when he has an inkling that there is a problem, only to fall a long way to the ground. In psychology, it is called the manic defence - we run until we drop and it’s not healthy. I believe that parents have a major role in helping their children to become resilient. I have summarised clever things I’ve learned from other people:
“It is the role of parents to help them be grounded, set limits and have the child feel safe” • Parents need to work together to help their child. It is fine if parents disagree with each other about how best to raise their child. But when you disagree, do it away from your child. Go for a coffee at a local café and after you have vented and have come to a compromise, come back to let your child know what you have jointly decided through gritted teeth. Just don’t show them your working out. • Parents need to be less anxious than their children. Some parents choose to respond to their child’s anxiety with frustration and more anxiety. This just results in an arms race of anxiety - the child will always over-trump the parent with more anxiety. The only way you can win is to show them that you are calm, which will in turn calm them down. • Children and adolescents tend to express their distress non-verbally. Just as an infant cries to let you know they are distressed, just as a toddler can have a tantrum, adolescents can have tantrums. Only adolescents are bigger
and they throw their bag around the room and storm upstairs. Adolescent tantrums are a non-verbal way of saying “I am distressed, you figure it out - MAKE IT BETTER MUM AND DAD”. Parents need to not take the message as a personal attack. • It’s important that you ensure that your child is sleeping well and to this end parents have a role in removing the screens after 10 o’clock at night time. No child needs to have their phone on and receiving messages in the early hours of the morning - unless of course they happen to be working for a secret organisation dedicated to saving the planet, in which case we can make an exception. Children and adolescents are being challenged in a fast-paced, changing world with increased access to others, information and images never previously known by humans. It is the role of parents to help them be grounded, set limits and have the child feel safe in the face of all this change.
MICHAEL GORDON Professor Michael Gordon is a child psychiatrist and the Unit Head of the infant, child and adolescent streams in Early in Life Mental Health Service (formerly CAMHS) at Monash Health in Melbourne. He has clinical and research interests in the areas of adolescent depression, suicide assessment and school refusal. He has published many papers and several book chapters in the area of adolescent depression. He is also an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Monash University and has been involved in a number of collaborative research projects with Monash University.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE? Read about our Parent Education Seminars for 2019 on page 23 of the School Diary. SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 11
SEPTEMBER CONCERT This is an edited version of the speech given by Sebastian Csutoros, Captain of Music, at the September Concert. Tonight we will hear from an enormous ensemble of musical talents, stretching from those at the beginning of their musical adventure at Camberwell Grammar, all the way through to those nearing the end of their journey. The September concert marks the conclusion to the whole school music program of 2019, and for the Year 12s, it will be their last school concert ever. I would like to extend my thanks to all the boys, especially the Year 12 cohort, who have given time and dedication throughout their many years at Camberwell, and regardless of their busy schedules as exams draw closer, made it to rehearsals and are here tonight to join in this musical celebration. I would also like to take the time express my gratitude towards Mr Bishop and his wonderful team of teachers and staff, for their patience and kindness in cultivating us student’s abilities and skills and organising such a fantastic performance opportunity for all of us to enjoy. I feel confident to speak on behalf of the boys, in that we are so fortunate and grateful to share this experience within our community.
12
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Middle School Production
“People generally see what they look for and hear what they listen for.”
This year’s Middle School Production, in staging Harper Lee’s widely studied novel, bravely counter-pointed the fragility of childhood innocence with the harshness of the adult world. The trio of children at the heart of the story spoke with a growing maturity that belied their years; the villainous Bob Ewell, played convincingly by Cooper Carbone (Year 8), contrasted perfectly with the ‘mocking-bird’ Tom Robinson, acted understatedly by Thomas Auwardt (Year 7); but it was Atticus Finch in a considered performance by Billy Allsop (Year 8), who physically towered over the townsfolk as a pillar of justice. The action moved speedily between the Finch’s garden, with its tyreswing, and the congested courthouse, from whose gallery the children observe an unsettling trial. The period costumes worn by the performers, and the Deep South accents used by them, both convincingly evoked the setting of Alabama in the 1930s. Overall, this was a sometimes difficult, but often delightful, dramatisation of a much-admired book. Mr Sam Gough Drama Teacher
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 13
NEWS AROUND THE SCHOOL with James Gunasegaram, Prefect for Publications
Friends of Soccer Presenation Night CGS Friends of Soccer welcomed CEO of Melbourne Victory Football Club Trent Jacobs and current player Leigh Broxham at their presentation night this term. After
14
feasting on pizza, the boys and families were entertained by Trent and Leigh, with the presentation of trophies to all teams. A big thank you to MVFC for joining us
on our special evening, and to our soccer community for attending.
VCE Premier’s Award
Book Week
Oliver Papillo who was presented with VCE Premier’s Award for Global Politics last month at the Melbourne Convention Centre by the Deputy Premier James Merlino.
Our amazing Junior School staff adopted a Harry Potter theme during Book Week.
“ILO problems represent the highest level of linguistic problem solving outside of professional language studies”.
Year 6 Maths Games Day
International Linguistics Olympiad After impressive performances in the state and national levels of the Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad (OZCLO) that saw them take 1st place nationally, a team of Camberwell students were invited to represent Australia in the 2019 International Linguistics Olympiad (ILO). The competition took place in Yongin, South Korea, and pitted Oliver Papillo, Lachlan Doig, Rory Lewis and James Gunasegaram against 53 elite teams from 36 countries. ILO problems represent the highest level of linguistic problem solving outside of professional language studies, and are split into Individual and Team components. In the Individual competition, participants are given incomplete samples of obscure or invented languages and must use their linguistic knowledge, reasoning and creativity to uncover the rules of each language over six hours. In the Team competition, a single but much harder problem is presented and the team of four works together to solve it over a shorter period of three hours.
With more than 35 teams competing from 20 schools in the annual Year 6 Maths Games Day at Genazzano, the boys were keen to be active participants. Students were placed in school teams with four representatives in each team. Our two teams were randomly selected and the first team consisted of Ethan Tran, Ashwin Lagana, Nicholas Wang and Ethan Lau who were among the top 6 teams throughout the day. The boys had no idea that results were being tallied for an overall winner from the entire day. Our first team upheld our CGS values and were very respectful of being on the leader board. However, at the end of the day, our second team which consisted of Kye Yoshimura, Austin Dai, Ross Armstrong and Christopher Khong won the overall event. As we walked back to school in the rain with each student under an individual umbrella, not at one stage did the students talk about the win and more than anything else, they discussed the type of questions they were asked as a group. They were a delightful and respectful group of gentlemen, which was noted by another staff member from another school sitting next to them. Well done to all the students involved and it was a wonderful reflection of the type of gentlemen Camberwell Grammar students are.
STEM Challenge On of Thursday 25 July,12 Camberwell Grammar School students, together with guests from Whitefriars College, and selected students from Suzhou, China, took part in a series of engineering and programming challenges. An opening ceremony started the day, which led to team events, which consisted of programming and constructing different robots to complete specific tasks. The individual task was a race to construct four circuits in response to a given diagram or written problem. Finally, the day concluded with an awards ceremony, with a Camberwell Grammar team winning the 1st place in the group competition, and two individuals achieving Excellence awards. This contest was a great learning experience, which allowed us to interact with people from other schools and countries. Thus, we are greatly honoured to have received the opportunity to participate in this event. Alan Tian Joshua Hui and Ashton Lu
Mr Dominic McLaughlin
The team performed admirably to reach the international stage in the first place, let alone complete it. With several strong OZCLO performances from Camberwell students this year, Camberwell may well be representing Australia at the ILO again. James Gunasegaram Prefect for Publications SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 15
SPORT
“Sport provides a valuable opportunity for students to develop and foster respect.”
Term 3 The Winter season saw some outstanding team and individual performances, highlighting the continued growth of the Sport programme. Badminton had its first season in 18 months after moving from Summer; however, the delay didn’t deter our Firsts, as they won another AGSV Premiership. The team won our sixth in a row and 19th in 26 years. Firsts Hockey and Soccer both had fantastic seasons, finishing runners up after nail-biting grand finals. Led by firstseason coach Firsts Football endured another tough season, however the future looks promising. The Intermediate Year 9/10 team showed great skill and spirit throughout the season, while the 7As enjoyed a prosperous first season with the School. The Cross Country squad finished the AGSV season in fourth place, a one place improvement from last year. Tom Bowers (Year 11) had an exceptional season and won his year level. He also finished 11th in the Under 18 National Cross Country Championships. An exceptional effort. With a strong Junior contingent, the Cross Country team will be pushing for a top 3 finish next year.
16
Congratulations to the students who made their respective AGSV Representative teams: • Badminton – Jason Tran (Year 12) • Cross Country – Tom Bowers and Taran Laurence (Year 11) • Football – Ryan Walsh (Year 12) • Hockey – Nicholas Gooden, Charlie Harper and James Sampson (Year 12) • Soccer – Tristan Patsiotis and Niko Verrios (Year 12) In non-AGSV sports, highlights came from our Baseball teams, the Fencing squad and the Snowsports team. Our two Under 15 Baseball teams performed well this season, bearing the fruit of being in the sport for a period of time now. In Fencing, the squad continues to go from strength to strength after medalling in many events. Julian Lim (Year 7) was crowned the National Champion for his age throughout the year. The Snowsports squad enjoyed a solid week of competition at the Victorian Interschool Snowsports competition at Mount Buller. Declan Woolf (Year 12), Arya Aminazad (Year 9), Samuel Li (Year 5) and Hugh Watson (Year 3) achieved outstanding results and both won selection for the National Interschools event.
The Spring Sport season came and went in a hurry. Water Polo was highly participated in again this year, with close to 100 students competing in the Ngaere Wilson Pool at school. Our teams were fantastic throughout the season. Camberwell Blue in the Junior A division raised the cup to win another premiership for the School, while our Intermediate and Open teams toiled hard to achieve pleasing results. The Athletics team performed very well at the AGSV Finals, finishing in 4th place, which is one place higher than last season. Congratulations to all students who participated throughout the season and on the day, particularly to the Year 12s. We are proud of you and your efforts. We medalled in 27 events, including 13 gold medals. We hope to continue the recent trend and keep climbing the AGSV ladder. Summer Sport gets underway at the beginning of Term 4, with training commencing on Tuesday 8 October and the first round of the AGSV season on Saturday 19 October. Starting from this Summer season and continuing throughout 2020, all schools in the AGSV will be celebrating the Centenary of AGSV Sport. A remarkable milestone for our great competition. Mr Lachlan Crawford Director of Sport SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 17
UK CRICKET TOUR Over the mid-year break, 18 students from Years 8 and 9 and three teachers took the cricketing trip of a lifetime over to the UK. Our first stop, London, provided us with many iconic sights, such as the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and of course, Lords, the home of cricket. We played two games, both unsuccessful in result but excellent learning and adapting to the English conditions. We left the capital in good spirits, reaching Manchester and playing a game straight away, also unsuccessful but this time much closer. Whilst in Manchester, we enjoyed multiple days off, which we spent enjoying ourselves in a shopping centre, touring the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, Old Trafford, and even being lucky enough to watch the Australian World Cup side train at the other Old Trafford, also named Old Trafford. We acquired many autographs and selfies, and the next day, watched the boys unfortunately go down in a thriller in their last World Cup group match. It was then time to head back down
18
south, to Southampton, for a week. On the way, we checked out the city of Oxford and the prestigious Stone Henge, before reaching Southampton. The team played six games here, including our first win, which was followed by a narrow final ball loss. Here we continued to play matches, as well as explore the neighbouring city of Bournemouth and the beach that surrounds it. With our time in the UK quickly running out, we headed back to the capital where we enjoyed time in Hyde Park, toured the Tower of London and went on the London Eye. Unfortunately, soon after, we touched back down in Melbourne and you guessed it, went to school the next day. On behalf of all the boys, we would like to thank the school, in particular the teachers; Mr Crawford, Mr Stanley and Mr Watson for the unforgettable experience we had whilst we were over there. Will Stamper Year 8
CONNECT WITH US
Keep up to date with our Blog www.cgs.vic.edu.au/ news/latest-news
Follow us on LinkedIn Camberwell Grammar School
Follow us on Twitter @camberwellgram
Follow us on Instagram @camberwell grammarschool
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ camberwellgrammar Subscribe to our YouTube channel Camberwell Grammar School
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 19
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Projec10 In Term 3, the Year 8 boys hosted Fintona and Camberwell Girls Grammar School for the final planning session ahead of the 2019 Projec10 Entrepreneurship Program. This has been an exceptionally creative cohort, who have proposed ideas from lemonade stands to a ‘Dunk-a-Teacher’ Tank. CGS hosted a Fete at lunch time on Friday 13 September, where many groups sold their products in a bid to raise funds for Opportunity International who assist fractured families establish businesses of their own in Ghana.
Junior School Jump Rope for Heart Jump Rope for Heart was a great success this year with our fundraising achieving well above the target. A few boys were particularly active with fund raising and between them raised $4,369. Particular mention must go to Thomas Pritchett in Year 4 who raised over $1,400 and Lucas Morey in Year 3 who raises a significant amount every year. Since first participating, our Junior School has raised over $35,000 for heart research. At CGS the fundraising supports two groups that do important work, The Heart Foundation which uses the funds for ongoing research and investigation into heart disease, and the Footscray Migrant Centre where our shopping voucher ensures that the children there have new play equipment.
20
“Since first participating, our Junior School has raised over $35,000 for heart research.”
Pride Football Comp
Our students joined Kingswood and Knox students to play in an inaugural Pride Cup football comp. A great initiative and fun had by all!
Christmas Pudding Fundraiser It was great to see so many past and present parents getting involved with the Christmas pudding mixing days this year. We would like to thank our wonderful team of Auxiliary coordinators for their endless hours of planning and the 230+ parent volunteers who joined in to lend a helping hand and prepare more than 800 puddings this year! The laughter and sense of community during the sessions was delightful to see.
Don’t forget to order your CGS Christmas Pudding! Visit www.trybooking.com/BBAGF
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 21
Fundraising for Peter Mac Foundation
“Tom organised a hugely successful BBQ, raising funds for the Peter Mac Foundation.”
Thomas Graves (Junior and Middle School Liaison Prefect) and a group of loyal supporters staged a Middle School Soccer Tournament throughout Term 2 and 3. Along with a lot of laughs, this provided a great deal of entertainment for the Middle School students during lunchtime, whilst it also provided an opportunity for boys to get to know more Senior School students. On the day of the Final, Tom organised a hugely successful BBQ, raising funds for the Peter Mac Foundation.
Year 11 Community Service Our Year 11 students were involved in a range of community service activities throughout the year. Students helped Rotary with gardening at some local aged care facilities, planted trees as part of Land Care and door knocked for the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal and the 22
Red Cross. In Term 4, a group of boys will help out with a concert for e.motion21, an organisation that provides dance and fitness opportunities for children and young adults with Down syndrome. Such activities provide a wonderful opportunity for our boys to engage with the wider community and to link with much valued community organisations.
Bloke’s Book Breakfast The Blokes’ Book Breakfast is an annual event for Middle and Senior School which offers fathers the opportunity to spend some time with their sons, sharing a mutual love for books and reading. This year, boys and their fathers sat down to a delicious cooked breakfast and listened to guest speaker, author Mr Michael Gerard Bauer, who presented an entertaining talk on the writing process and his growth in public speaking and storytelling. Mr Bauer is an internationally acclaimed author whose writing has received several awards both in Australia and overseas.
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 23
7TH BIENNIAL AGENDO ART SHOW
We are extremely pleased to once again have hosted and convened this year’s Agendo Exhibition and Art Prize for emerging artists. The Arts have always held an important place within our School, and we have always encouraged our students to explore their own artistic dimensions. This competition represents an attempt to reach out to the world beyond the School and to support the artistic endeavour of young adults in a practical and useful way. The judges were very impressed by the quality of our 42 finalists this year and we had a record number of attendees on opening night in the David Williams Gallery. Congratulations to Ruby Pilven who won the Agendo Art Prize for her ceramics work ‘Salt and Gold’. Thanks to Peter and Jane Crone who generously donated the $10,000 prize, and other sponsors inlcuding Alliance Catering, Fuji Xerox, Gippsland Solar, Vicki Hutchins and Wolf and Turner Travel Associates.
24
Sponsors
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 25
EVENTS 25 YEAR REUNION CLASS OF 1994 FRIDAY 19 JULY, CAMBERWELL ROOM
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
NETWORK FUNCTION FRIDAY 2 AUGUST, GILBERT STREET HOTEL, ADELAIDE
26
LIFE GOVERNORS’ DINNER MONDAY 12 AUGUST, CAMBERWELL ROOM
30 YEAR REUNION CLASS OF 1989 FRIDAY 23 AUGUST, CAMBERWELL ROOM
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 27
QLD
NETWORK FUNCTION THURSDAY 29 AUGUST, FIUME BAR AT FANTAUZZO
NSW
NETWORK FUNCTION THURSDAY 30 AUGUST, HOLDING REDLICH
28
NEWS OF OLD BOYS Nicholas Carter (2003) has just finished his four year term as Principal Conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Appointed at the age of 29, Carter was one of the youngest leaders of an Australian state orchestra ever and it was the first time an Australian had been appointed to such a post since Stuart Challender was named Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony in 1987. More details here: www.askonasholt.com/artists/ nicholas-carter/
Mr. Ben Cooke (2007) married Dr. Felicity Martin in Brisbane on 25 May 2019. They were joined by (left to right) Mishan Dahia (2007), Anthony Middleton (2007), David Anjou(2007), Bryn Hellier (2007) and Sam Cooke (2012). • Camberwell Grammar School and the Sports and Facilities department for their support and willingness to work with us. • The sponsorship of Chaplain’s Office, often providing catering for our events including the season launch. Looking to Season 19-20 we are well placed, with many new players last year getting a taste of senior cricket and turf cricket. With the likely promotion of the 1st XI into Sunday A grade, we will be striving not to repeat the last few years of the promotion-relegation cycle, and indeed, set our sights much higher. OCGCC is always looking for new players, please either follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OCGCC/ or email: secretary.ocgcc@gmail.com
Old Camberwell Grammarians Cricket Club SEASON REPORT The on-field story over the last few seasons seems to go in cycles for the Old Camberwell Grammarians Cricket Club (OCGCC). Sitting down to write this report, I reviewed our last contribution to the Spectemur, in which we reported and celebrated our 2nd XI’s redemption from C Grade relegation in the previous season to D Grade premiership. This year it was the 1st XI’s turn, relegated from A Reserve (Saturday) to B Grade (Sunday) to obtain redemption, winning the clubs first 1st XI premiership. There was a degree of satisfaction felt amongst the team, especially from those who were part of the first couple of seasons where OCGCC made successive B Grade (Saturday) Grand Finals but did not win
the flag. A huge congratulations is extended to the 11 premiership players especially Vaibhav Chandra (2006) in his first season as the 1st XI captain and Stuart Sharp (2008) in his first season as club coach. The 2nd XI unfortunately did not follow up their previous season’s triumph, finishing in the bottom half of the table. We would like to thank the rotating captaincy of both Andy Richards (2010) and Alex Reeve‑Webber (2006) which lead the team throughout a difficult season. I would like to thank the support of the external organisations that allow OCGCC to be what it is today: • The Mercantile Cricket Association for providing such a great cricket competition and working with us so well to ensure we had access to our home ground • The OCGA for their ongoing support, committing both their time and financially.
To doing one better season and bringing in two flags! Jonathan Gumley (2006) President
OCGA Facebook Group Connecting with the OCGA is now easier than ever. The OCGA has recently launched a closed Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Facebook group for all past students. The OCGA Facebook Group includes regular updates on upcoming events, news of Old Boys and photos from reunions and functions. To join search Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association in Facebook and click on groups. SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 29
OLD BOY PROFILE
Tom Molloy (1994) Tell us a little bit more about you and what you’ve been up to since leaving CGS? Upon finishing Year 12 I went on to complete my degree at La Trobe University and then onto further study in finance and investments, included my CPA whilst working as an accountant. After four years working in Melbourne I travelled overseas where I realised that life is a ‘choose your own adventure’ journey. Before I left I was very conventional with study, work, socialising with mates but when I landed in Turkey something changed which has been with me ever since: “You don’t live a life you create it.” So with that mindset I decided that I wanted to make a documentary so I bought a video camera and made one called Mad Bulls which was a short story about my experience in Pamplona Spain with Running of the Bulls festival. I then decided I wanted to sail so I learned to sail offering my services for free to a Swedish captain completing his aroundthe-world voyage. With that experience
30
I sailed professionally in Europe before reconnecting with the guys I started my trip with who were doing the traditional ‘pubs and places’ route. After that I worked, travelled and sailed extensively in Australia, Europe, US and Asia which has been amazing. After eight years in finance and consulting I transitioned in a big way and started a business from scratch in the solar industry. I say from scratch because I had to learn everything from a base knowledge of school physics, a business degree and corporate experience because I wanted to learn and make a business out of it. After some frustrating years I turned it into a successful business operating nationally and in some of the most remote places in Australia. I did this for almost 10 years. Over the next five years I transitioned from the energy industry into performance coaching for elite/aspiring athletes and organisations specialising in injury prevention, breathing and active recovery. You will need to read on to understand why. During this time I married my wonderful wife Vik, had 3 kids and now live in the Noosa Hinterland, QLD juggling the journey of life.
What did you enjoy most about your time at CGS? The opportunity to explore a wide range of sports, arts and studies. I pretty much gave everything a go. What advice would you give our Year 12 boys as they embark on life after CGS? 1. Look after your health – body and mind – exercise every day even its just going for a walk, explore ways to shut off your busy mind and reset. For me it’s using the breathing methods we teach for others it could be drawing or anything that allows you to focus inwards and reconnect. 2. Learn as much as you can and do the work – ideas are pipe dreams if you don’t take action to be a master at what you are doing. Talent, qualifications and brains will only get you so far. 3. Build your support network and your tribe authentically and with respect. Facebook friends/likes are one thing but finding out who you are and genuinely communicating yourself to the world will lead to deeper and more rewarding relationships both in business and in life. 4. Treat all advice with a combination of openness and scepticism and find out what works for you!
“I did what not many of my fellow men do... I asked for help.” Let’s talk about your experiences and how you came to work in the high performance space? I was an aspiring athlete as a teenager with athletics and footy but all this came to an end when I dislocated and cracked both of my knee caps. After multiple surgeries throughout my teens and early twenties, and multiple attempts to reclaim my athletic career – I was faced with the confronting reality that my dreams would not be realised. Unfortunately, at this time I was not aware of rehab programs and appropriate exercises I could do to reestablish my fitness safely and sustainably. Instead I continued to train and compete in triathlons with constant pain. Further injuries followed that impacted on the sports I loved to do, shoulder injuries affected my swimming, wrist injuries impacted on weight training, and my knees were a constant obstacle. I was a mess. Fast forward to my late 30s – I harnessed my competitive spirit and now am a successful business owner in a high pressure job overseeing sales and operational teams in boom or bust cycles. I am on the boom trajectory, I have a wife and 2 children but I am stressed out of my brain – my previous outlet for stress management was exercise, but this is no longer possible due to my degenerative injuries. At this point I feel so bad I could not walk 400m without sever joint pain. I mean it really was bad. What did I turn to instead? Alcohol, carbs, sweets, comfort – anything to take the pain away. What was the result – I was giving up on my body - the very thing that held and played with my children. This impacted me in every way in my life and I just wanted to burn it all to the
ground. I saw it in others too. Thankfully for me finally I got honest and realised I was stuck and I was going down a rabbit hole leading to the destruction of my marriage, my family and my business. So I did what not many of my fellow men do…… I asked for help. I knew I did not have the answers and I knew feeling sorry for myself was not going to find them. I opened up to people I trusted, I searched for experts in sports medicine, training, lifestyle and more. This led me to some pretty inspiring people who in their own way suffered like I had and found a way to succeed beyond conventional wisdom. It was through the likes of Dr Tim Noakes, Dr Jon Kabat‑Zinn Zin, Dr Phil Mafatone, Wim Hof and Laird Hamilton I found my way out of this scenario. I changed my diet, I stopped drinking alcohol, I got a coach, an excellent physiotherapist and learned appropriate rehabilitation exercises that I continue to do even today. I had a lot of bumps along the way, but I kept learning and applying the things that were working and discarded anything that set me back. Within 6 months despite severe osteoarthritis in both my knees I was able to complete the 15km City to Surf in a good time without PAIN or injury. For me this was the turning point (400m to 15 km in 6 months) where I started to believe in my body again which planted the seed for my next adventure. Since that point I immersed myself into the fitness and coaching world as I did when I touched down in Turkey eager to learn and explore my way through it and opening myself up as much as possible to get experience with elite and aspiring athletes as well as corporate teams and
leaders. I coached AFL, surf life saving, athletics and rugby teams as a volunteer as well as used friends and family as my test subjects whilst becoming a master breath coach, XPT performance coach and rescue diver and to compliment AFL, lifesaving, personal training, swim coaching and business qualifications. In 2017 with my wife Dr Vik who is a physiotherapist we started up ActivateBody Consulting and in the same year Activate Group. ActivateBody Consulting is our clinical side where Dr Vik treats injured athletes and it’s my job to set up programs to prevent injury and progress performance with specialist coaches using load planning with active recovery and performance breathing methods. ActivateBody Group works with mainly corporate clients and resorts delivering experiential workshops and services designed to use performance breathing, movement and recovery methods to help activate people, manage stress and build resilience naturally (i.e. no drugs, alcohol or excessive food). What do you enjoy most about your role now? I now have the opportunity to work with some great people, doing the things I love and being paid for it through our businesses. It’s not easy but we are progressing and getting some great results for our clients. What does the future hold for you? Continue to learn and grow in business and in life and along the way make a positive impact on the people we serve.
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 31
OCGA GENERATIONS PHOTO
On Friday 30 August we took our annual OCGA Generations photo which includes current students with their Old Boy relatives.
32
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 33
OBITUARIES It is with great sadness that we record the deaths of members of the Camberwell Grammar School community since the last edition of Spectemur.
(THOMAS) JOHN SVENSSON (1942)
SORUBAN RAJAKULENDRAN (1996)
JOHN TONKIN (1956)
October 1931 - Saturday 27 July 2019
Born 12 December 1979
10 October 1939 - 16 August 2019 Brother to Douglas Tonkin (1953)
JOHN KENNEDY Passed Monday 22 July 2019 After many months of battling a series of gravely debilitating illnesses, John Kennedy died on Monday, July 22nd. It was a quiet, dignified end, befitting a quiet dignified man, who had made his peace with the world and farewelled those closest to him. After hearing of John’s death, Colin Black, Headmaster from 1987 – 2004, wrote the following tribute. “A patient and effective teacher of Mathematics, Physics and Science, he will be remembered with affection, respect and admiration by his colleagues as a most resourceful, diligent and diplomatic Director of Studies, having succeeded ‘Doc’ Wight in 1974, and it was in this
34
role that I knew him during my time as Headmaster from 1987 - 2004, when we retired together.
Again John went to work and mirabile dictu the improvised accommodation worked well when the new term began.
It was John’s responsibility to assemble the school timetable and the classroom allocations, to assign boys to their classes, and arrange the teaching programmes in the Middle and Senior schools. With quiet perseverance and good grace he managed to juggle parents’, boys’ and teachers’ preferences, and while never able to please everyone every year, all knew that he tried assiduously to do so. In my early years a number of curriculum changes were introduced, associated with the then new Victorian Certificate of Education and an expanded list of electives for Years 9 and 10. In embracing these positively, John demonstrated his remarkable capacity for finding creative solutions. He spent the long summer vacation building a timetable which reflected each year the changing nature of the school curriculum, and invariably the new session began smoothly with an absolute minimum of disruptive tinkering.
John’s professional demeanour and quiet efficiency enabled him to deal patiently with day-to-day staff absences and the disruptions to the rhythm of work which the growing programme of VCE field days and excursions mandated. His was also the responsibility for the school’s examination arrangements, both internal and public, and I cannot recall a year when everything did not run smoothly, just as his co-ordination of the semester reports to parents was invariably flawless.
There were often hiccups along the way but John took these in his unflappable stride. I recall telephoning him at his home one Christmas Eve to tell him that a newly appointed teacher of Senior Mathematics had withdrawn his letter of acceptance and it was unlikely an alternative could be found at short notice, but somehow he was able to rearrange the pieces on the chessboard and all was well. Then there was that harrowing Christmas 2002 when Roystead and a number of senior school classrooms were damaged by arson.
When, in the occasional absence of the Deputy Headmaster, the Director of Studies as the “number three” in the Senior School, attended me on the platform at Morning Assembly, he projected to the boys a gentlemanly but firm presence, and I felt reassured that I had him by my side. I knew that I could rely on John when I needed to find a sounding board, and his office on the lower floor of the old Angliss Building was where I could always find a sympathetic ear. As a close friend, insightful advisor and confidant to a Headmaster, he greatly advanced the institution to which he gave his working life. Generations of boys and staff have many reasons to be grateful to this Colossus of the Common Room who did so much to make Camberwell Grammar School the outstanding place that it is today. Ave atque vale! Colin F. Black OAM Headmaster 1987 - 2004
quirks of character where we could easily be mocked or bullied. Such protective strategies are a hallmark of adolescence, yet what distinguished Mark’s integrity as a person was his openness and his emotional honesty – there was no persona, he was simply himself.
MARK WILLIAMS OAM 9 April 1963 - 10 July 2019 The process of grieving usually requires us to reflect upon the most distinctive features of the person we have lost and to closely consider our connection with them. Hence, what was it, I ask myself, that made Mark Williams one of the most remarkable people – as both a teacher and a friend – that I have been privileged to encounter during many years teaching at Camberwell Grammar School? More than anything else, I am sure, was the fact that Mark was such a loving man, to all with whom he connected, be they student or adult. Indeed, the manner of association made no distinction: irrespective of age and situation, Mark treated everyone with equal courtesy and interest. For much of our lives we adopt a persona. We create a social identity, a mask to protect the more precious dimensions of ourselves, those private beliefs and
Mark’s engagement with others, especially students, was always characterised by his easy manner, soft voice, that wry smile, and the fact that his eyes never shifted from the person with whom he was connected to at the time. Personas, often so carefully crafted to protect vulnerability, were almost unconsciously stripped away as one felt so much at ease in his company, for here the nature of the engagement was something precious, what the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, called an ‘I/Thou encounter’. As a Head of House, Mark was often required to be the disciplinarian, but rather than punish boys for rudeness or misdemeanours there was, invariably, that quiet conversation, where the focus was on the welfare of the student. Mark often asserted to the boy, that, ‘While I do not care for your behaviour’ – and here he would help the lad chart the consequences of his actions, and consider alternative ways of doing things, should such a situation repeat itself – ‘I care for you’. Hence the student would know that not only was he, at heart, accepted as a person, but loved, for Mark embodied what the Ancient Greeks called agape, where love is not only felt for selective relationships but for all mankind. If Christianity provided Mark with a model to live by, it was a belief that he kept private but, at the same time put into practice most actively as a member of the Salvation Army, offering support to the homeless and those in need, especially
young people, often desperate and on the wrong side of the law. The award of an OAM in the Australia Day Honours reminded us of something of the life that Mark led outside of school. A fellow runner, Mark and I spent many an hour trekking the trails together and talking about all manner of things. As a coach of the Cross-Country squad at CGS, Mark most often gave his attention not to the more talented athletes but was patient enough to trot along at the back and quietly chat to and encourage that fellow lagging behind the squad – and always returning with that warm smile on his face. Collaborative, compassionate and always good-humoured, Mark taught us not only how to live but also, given our inevitable demise, how to die. In recent times he often said to me, ‘It won’t be a long life, but it will be a good one!’. Over the last few weeks he told me how he loved catching the train to East Camberwell, walking along the Outer Cycle path and savouring that encounter with the natural world and then enjoying the hubbub of school life, when he was really too frail to do anything more than quietly chat with one or two individuals. As a teacher, Mark’s professional expertise was beyond question; however, that was not the principal reason he has been held in such affection. Theodore Roosevelt once said that, ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ A friendship with this caring man is one that I shall treasure; so many of us have been enriched by his fellowship. John Allen
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 35
for them as a couple then, but they were clearly meant to be together. After a long friendship, they reunited and shared a brief time together in their 70s that brought them both great joy. Wendy kept a photograph of Trevor at her bedside; they looked so happy in it, hardly able to believe their luck that life brought them together after all. We were thrilled to share their happiness.
WENDY MARGOT HURSE 1941 - 21 July 2019
An extract of the eulogy of Wendy Huse, one of the first full‑time female members of the CGS teaching faculty. Contributed by Stephen McKnight (1989), Wendy’s nephew. In 1941, a miracle occurred. A tiny bundle of cells split into two and became identical twins Wendy and Judith. In 1942, Wendy was born first by ten minutes, then Judy, to Verne and George Hurse of Ross Street, Surrey Hills, two little sisters for Patricia. Wendy went to Chatham Primary, then Presbyterian Ladies’ College, where the inseparable twins had to protest that they did not copy each other’s work, but they just thought the same, as indeed they did. The twins shared an extraordinary life-long bond of closeness that has been a wonder to us all. How lucky we three children were to benefit from this loving relationship: Wendy was like a second mother to us. Wendy completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne, where she was remembered even decades later as an outstanding student, especially of languages. She followed this with diplomas in education and counselling. In her early 20s Wendy went out with Trevor Poustie. Things didn’t work out
36
Wendy was an excellent teacher. She began her career at Vermont High School before, in 1969, taking up the position as one of the first full-time female members of the teaching staff. Over the next sixteen years Wendy had a positive and profound impact on her students and fellow teachers. On hearing of Wendy’s passing an Old boy recalled Wendy being a wonderful teacher - very patient, calm and clear, while a fellow teacher warmly reflected on Wendy being a beautiful lady who was loved and adored by her former colleagues and students, and a person who forged a path at CGS that many women followed. Wendy was devoted to her mother, Verne, who was completely deaf. In her compassion for and dedication to her mother, we saw the essence of the person we all knew and loved, with a heart large enough to absorb and soothe all the hurts of the world, for anyone she encountered. She was a wonderful listener and a philosophical and practical, positive and empathetic friend, always interested in others. A quick walk to the shops could take hours, depending on who Wendy ran into. She was a source of great fun and joyfulness, always ready with a smile and a hilarious anecdote, ready to laugh at the silly things that life throws at all of us. Wendy adored all the creatures of the world, but most especially children and cats (not sure of the order there). She was the champion of the underdog, and the stray cat, and cared passionately for her own cats. If only we could all come back to earth as one of Auntie’s cats! We owe our love of animals at least in part to Wendy. Wendy was fond of all the good things in life. She was, as only the French can say (and Wendy loved anything French), une bonne vivante, with an irrepressible joie de vivre. She loved nature, especially flowers,
travel and holidays to places such as Perth (where she loved to spend time with the Kailis family), Noosa and London, beautiful music, including the choral music sung by St Francis’ choir, of which she was a member for many years and delicious food (despite having lost her sense of taste and smell in the second of two brain surgeries), especially Judy’s delicious family meals at home… and a weak cappuccino anywhere at all! Many of us have shared special meals and moments with Wendy over the years, most recently in the cafe at Kew Gardens, a perfect hangout for someone so sociable. This love of beautiful things carried through into Wendy’s art. A recent exhibition of her china painting stunned visitors. She was an extremely gifted porcelain artist, winning numerous accolades over the years at the Royal Melbourne Show. Those of us who have her works will treasure them now more than ever, for their enduring sense of the beauty she perceived both in the world and in her imagination. Her magical colouring book allowed her to continue to share her talents with others, when china painting was no longer an option. Her intuitive colour and style carried through into her personal presentation; she wore coordinated layers and pretty scarves and jewellery and had a magpie’s eye for a sparkle. I’m sure we all have a happy picture of Wendy in our hearts, smiling and greeting us with love, so cheerful and bright in her gorgeous clothes and the expressive, colourful fabrics she loved. Lovely, intelligent, perceptive, witty, kind, friendly, warm, gentle, funny, faithful, generous, tender, uplifting: Wendy was the dearest soul. Despite many personal challenges, especially related to her health, she was never bitter, and faced the future with courage and dignity. We will remember her with much love, as a wonderful, darling person and teacher of so many of life’s lessons, and as an example of a life well-lived. Wendy always said she felt there was a greater power watching over her. She is now with the angels in paradise. Vale Wendy Margot Hurse.
Graduating from Camberwell Grammar in 1987, Craig excelled in his studies of maths and science and demonstrated outstanding leadership achieving the rank of Cadet Under-Officer (CUO). Completing his undergraduate studies in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at Melbourne University, Craig was awarded a PhD in Computer Science at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. His dissertation was titled Object Recognition and Scene Understanding in Machine Vision.
CRAIG DILLON (1987) 7 November 1969 - 5 July 2019 Our beloved Craig, age 49 years, passed away on July 5th. Born November 7th, 1969 in Melbourne, Australia, long term resident of Minneapolis. Craig grew up in Melbourne, where he lived an extremely full and happy childhood. In his younger days he had a passion for hiking and camping, was a keen cub scout and developed a love of computers and technology from a very early age.
His long and distinguished career commenced in San Diego in 1996 at HNC Software, before co-founding ieWild in partnership with Richard Howe. In 2001 he moved to Minneapolis to take up the post of Vice President at Fair Isaac Corporation. A highlight of his time at FICO was broadening the strategic focus of the scoring business, leading all aspects of the creation of the FICO Expansion Score. From there he moved to PeopleNet Communications as Chief Technology Officer and then in 2010 he took up a new role at Inuvo Inc. In 2013 as Chief Technology Officer of Digital River World Payments he expanded global product capabilities that supported business growth from $18m to $70m in 3 years
across 200 countries. Over the last 4 years, Craig was an Executive Vice President at Bluestem Brands. Craig was a passionate leader focused on enabling all those around him to realise their full potential. While his professional leadership inspired many, his greatest desire and achievement in life was to be a father. He delighted in teaching his daughter about the world, from how to build a race car to how to assemble an electrical circuit. A devoted family man, he loved to cook family meals as a way to “provide for his loved ones”. He will be remembered as a creative, kind and gentle man with a quirky sense of humour. Loved and respected in all that he did, Craig will be dearly missed. “Best Daddy In The World” to Josie‑Rose Dillon, the light of his life and adored former husband to Hailey Gabriel. Dearest son to Beverly and Carl Dillon, and brother to Julie Dillon and Jacki Whitwell. Much loved uncle to Natalya and Finn Gneiser, James and Emily Whitwell. Brother-in-law to Christopher Moore, David Whitwell, Cynthia and Jeff Gneiser, Laena Wilder & Jeff Vroom. Devoted son-in-law to Arlene Wiltberger. Beloved former husband to Kerri Norman.
SPECTEMUR | ISSUE 3 - 2019 37
CALENDAR 2019 OCTOBER Tuesday 15 – CBD Networking Breakfast
OCGA COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Sunday 20 – OCGA Lawn Bowls Day
Tuesday 8 October
Wednesday 23 – Cufflink Presentation
Tuesday 3 December
NOVEMBER
INFORMATION AND TOUR MORNING
Thursday 14 – 5 Year Reunion (2014) Wednesday 20 – 60+ Years Reunion (pre 1959)
OPEN DAY Saturday 12 October, 10.00am to 2.00pm
Saturday 9 November, 10.00am
Friday 22 – 40 Year Reunion (1979)
This publication has been printed on 100% recycled paper.”